Checked Out: Cinderburg Part 27
After hearing the wonderful news about the end of the hiring freeze, I immediately found Alicia and Amy to update them.
My working relationship with Amy was as strong as ever, but Alicia and I were still rocky and it honestly didn’t look like that was ever going to change, no matter how hard I tried. She had even confronted me maybe a month before to ask why I wasn’t telling her anything about her future at the library which led to a very candid conversation about the nature of temp jobs (they are, in fact, temporary and don’t always lead to permanent placements). At the end of that, I strongly urged her to really consider if she was happy at the library. As it was, the only openings at Cyprus were frozen, and she didn’t meet the minimum qualifications anyway. If she did stay at the library, there was no chance of it being at our branch. She started her job search then.
With the news of us being able to hire soon, I’d been told Alicia would be reassigned to another branch, still on a temporary basis.
She had had enough. She gave notice and left the library by the end of September.
I viewed her exit with mixed emotions. I wouldn’t have to tiptoe around her and whatever was wrong with our working relationship, but I was now down a person. Plus, Amy was due to deliver at the end of October. If I didn’t get to hire someone soon, I’d be by myself in a department large enough for 3 staff members.
Finally word came that I could conduct interviews. I could make an offer in mid-October. And they could officially start at the beginning of November.
I spent a few weeks in interviews. It ultimately came down to two candidates, both internal: Angie and Nesca.
Nesca was a middle-aged sweetheart with a kind soul who had worked with Lacy at the Central branch for a few years. Angie was younger, perhaps late 20s or early 30s.
Going into the interviews, I knew the exact type of person we needed to hire. Given the craziness of our location, the high attendance numbers, and how busy we could get on any given day, I wanted someone who could command a crowd. I wanted someone who could stand up in front of a raucous group of people and whip out a mighty “SHHHH” without batting an eye. But I also wanted someone who was animated and dynamic. After Alicia’s departure and with Amy leaving soon, I was already leading every story time on my own. I wanted someone who could take up their own mantle for story time and carry on. Our crowds were enormous and having that animated and dynamic person was crucial to keeping our crowds engaged and coming back.
I checked with Lacy over and over about the process, and she continued to say that the decision was up to me. But she asked to be present at the final interviews.
Together, we met with Nesca first. Nesca was quiet and composed. Before she was even done, I knew she wasn’t the right person. There was no way she could get up in front of a crowd of 40 people and read a story. Plus, I had misgivings about hiring someone Lacy had so recently directly supervised.
Lacy and I interviewed Angie next, and her interview was the complete opposite. She was already animated in normal conversation, but while reading a story, it was like watching a cartoon character come to life. She exaggerated her emotions. She drew out words. She brought us into the story as she read it, interacting with us. Plus, during the rest of her interview, she shared tons of amazing programming ideas. After Angie left, Lacy turned to me and said, “I think it’s clear who the best candidate is,” smiling at Angie as she walked away. I agreed.
Knowing what I would be losing in Amy, Angie would be perfect. I knew that when we were all back together, we’d have an unstoppable team.
Nesca was nice enough, but she simply didn’t fit the needs of such a busy branch as Cyprus. And honestly? The only reason I had interviewed her was because I felt pressured by Lacy to like her.
And Lacy had really turned on the pressure. Sure, she kept throwing in phrases like “Hire who you want,” and “I don’t want you to hire Nesca just because I tell you to.” But Lacy also kept talking about how great she was at the Central branch. That was all well and good, but the needs at the Central branch were very different from the needs at Cyprus. Lacy spoke long and hard about the team she’d cultivated there from something that had been toxic and barely functional. She insisted she’d allow me to do the same with my department, to build the team that I wanted and the community needed.
A final decision would be made soon, but I knew who I wanted to hire and add to my team. Next time, we’ll find out who that is.
Until then, I remain…
-C Quill
